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A
MODULE FOR
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS |
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Alternate Lesson: LESSON 5 & 6:“Field
Trip: An Examination of Ecological Relationships” OBJECTIVES: CELS:
Communication MATERIALS: ~prior contact with parents
- letter home
For access to a permission form
for field trips visit the Sask Learning website http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/doc/elemsci/corgesc.html. 1. Motivational Set:
Brainstorm words/ideas regarding the Western Red Lily and a
quick briefing of field trip rules. 2. Arrive at the site - tour
coordinator shows everyone around; explain the field of Western
Red Lilies and the interactions that occur. Define
abiotic and biotic. Biotic is living and abiotic is nonliving. Examples
of abiotic things include cement, brick, the school, etc. Examples
of biotic things include humans, plants, animals, organisms. Possible sites include: farm
sites/land/fields of WRL close to your community OR in the
city of Possible tour guides include:
farmers, past students, representative from Saskatchewan Wildlife
Federation, Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management
(SERM), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). Students identify the biotic
and abiotic factors of the area/environment where the WRL grow. Possible
discussions could include the changes humans have made to this
particular ecosystem. 3. Nature Walk - evidence
of plant/animal interaction, where plants are growing currently,
moisture conditions, soil conditions, sunlight (hidden by trees),
effects of humans on WRL like pesticides/chemicals, agriculture,
natural disasters. 4. Web of interactions -
This activity could either be completed outdoors or indoors. It
is a summary to demonstrate the interconnectedness of relationships
with the plant and its environment (the biotic/abiotic factors). The
web begins with the person in the center of the circle who
is the Western Red Lily holding a ball of string. All
the other students are assembled in circular formation around
the lily, holding cards. Written on the cards are what organism/animal/event which
that student represents in the environment. The items on the cards are sun, water, soil, mole, butterfly,
bee, cow, fire. The WRL holding
the ball of string passes the string to the sun, the sun passes
the string to water, water to butterflies and the passing continues
until a web has formed. Now three
things can occur: something can be taken away from the environment
(like sun), a disaster can be introduced to the environment
(like fire), or a human interaction/interruption can occur
such as agriculture (like pesticides). 5. Summary Activity -
Discussion - How can we encourage positive human interaction?? *Advocate
for change *Educate
others - presentations *Encourage appreciation of native
prairie plants/WRL and their importance. * *Thank
you card for tour facilitator 6. Close to module: Read
the picture book “Lessons from Mother Earth” by
Elaine McLeod & Colleen Wood. Wetlands Integration project/trip
- a visit to a nearby wetland; have a DUC specialist meet and
greet the class as a tour facilitator. Assignment: Students can inventory
their neighborhood and research; where are the abiotic factors
right for the Western Red Lily? Where are the biotic conditions
right? Where are both sets of conditions right? How could they
encourage more Western Red Lilies in their neighborhood? Students can present their findings
to the class in a presentation style decided by the teacher
or students. Students will be evaluated on the presentation and their
research. *Read a realistic picture book
of a local story entitled “ ASSESSMENT: *This is an alternate lesson
provided that you find a field of Western Red Lilies or any
location(s) near you where WRL would/could be present. |